


For the Dancing and the Dreaming

by KeiKou9275



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: I'm lazy, M/M, i'll add tags later today
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 11:02:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18342338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiKou9275/pseuds/KeiKou9275
Summary: Keith is a new college graduate interning at Voltron Inc, helping to design the wonders that make the modern age tick. But he’s always thinking about Takashi Shirogane, best friend and first love who went off to fight in the war as soon as they graduated high school. No one has seen or heard from Shiro in over 4 years when Keith trips over him (literally).





	For the Dancing and the Dreaming

**Author's Note:**

> Had this idea while I was at work, I dunno. Shiro needs more pampering and being taken care of.
> 
> Loosely based off this song - For the Dancing and the Dreaming Taylor Davis, The Hound + The Fox

Twas a cold and snowy evening as Keith trudged home after a long day at work, keeping his head bent against the arctic blasts that threatened to whip his cap off. Kosmo, his black German shepherd trotting next to him, unfazed by the weather. He wondered for the hundredth time WHY he had left his nice, warm, and dry home in Texas to move to the frozen wasteland that was known as Utah. He had been blissfully ignorant of the freezing temperatures that came with living here, blinded by Voltron Inc.’s logo while the logical side of his brain was fogged up by dreams of his future.

He was fortunate to have parents who were not as naive as he had been and had made sure he had a decent amount of warm clothing to take with him while his uncles Kolivan and Antok, Thace and Ulaz took him shopping when he arrived to make sure he had everything else he might need once he had finished settling in his new apartment.

Even with four layers of clothing Keith was STILL freezing his ass off. The co-workers who lived in Utah told him that come summer it was going to get blistering hot and to enjoy the ‘mild’ winter they were having. Keith had looked at them like they had grown extra heads. Temperatures of 20 F or below with blizzards every other week was considered mild?! At least he wasn’t the only one who thought the Utahns were nuts. A couple of the other interns in his group, Lance and Hunk, were from more tropical regions and were not faring any better than he was.

‘Shiro would love this place. He always liked winter and the cold weather,’ Keith thought briefly, his heart aching at the thought of his best friend and boyfriend. Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane, grew up down the street from Keith and had been his best friend, despite the five year age difference, from grade school all the way through high school where their friendship grew into romance. But then a couple of months into their senior year Shiro’s parents died when their plane went down in the North Atlantic, the cause was a long-range missile fired from a terrorist nation.

Keith had done his best to comfort and support Shiro but something changed in the young man as he buried his mother and father’s empty coffins. He became hard and focused, almost obsessed with bringing down the people who killed his family. A month before they graduated high school Shiro told Keith that he had signed up for the army, and would begin training immediately after they graduated. Keith had been quiet, both of them sitting side by side on Keith’s bed until Keith had slowly reached over and held Shiro’s hand.

“I understand,” he had murmured quietly as a couple of tears leaked out. Keith knew that Takashi wouldn’t rest until the people who killed his parents were brought to justice but it still hurt to think that Shiro would leave so soon. Shiro had gently cupped Keith’s face, wiping away the tears as he had leaned his head against Keith’s. “It’s not forever,” he had said with a small, sad smile, his own eyes bright with tears. “I’ll come home to you, no matter what. I’m not giving up on us.”

Keith had nodded, kissing Shiro gently before he had laid them down on his bed, too tired to do anything else but hold Shiro through the night, praying that morning would never come. When the day came for Shiro to report to basic training they had held each other tight, neither wanting to say goodbye. Before Shiro had boarded his bus he had given Keith a small box, opening it to reveal a silver ring. “It’s a promise ring,” he had explained while slipping it onto Keith’s finger. He had shown an identical gold band hanging next to his dog tags. “It means that no matter where we are, we will be together.”

If Keith hadn’t already been a sobbing mess before, he had been then. He kissed Shiro hard, whispering how much he loved him and that if he didn’t come back safe he was going to kick his boyfriend's ass. Shiro had chuckled, giving one final squeeze before he got on his bus and left in a cloud of exhaust and dust.

Six months later there had been a knock on the Kogane’s door. Krolia had answered it, her face paling when she recognized men in army uniforms, one carrying a small cardboard box while the other held a folded flag. When he had come downstairs and found his mother crying, his dad consoling her as best he could, he thought something had happened to one of his uncles. That was until the officer holding the flag had stood and approached, explaining that Takashi Shirogane had gone missing and was presumed KIA. After that day the world lost all color for Keith, his heart cold and shattered.

He had refused to attend the memorial service, vehemently stating that Shiro wasn't dead. For another six months, Keith had locked himself, both physically and emotionally, away from the world. He ate little, spoke less, and never smiled. It felt like his world had died with Shiro, so what was the point of living? It had taken walking by his parents' room, hearing his dad, one of the strongest people he knew, sobbing to his mom that he was terrified of losing his son, for something to click in Keith's brain. Keith had walked in, collapsed into his parents' arms, and broken down completely, being held like he had been when he was a child. 

It took another year of therapy, getting back into a routine, and getting an emotional support dog named Kosmo for Keith to begin to feel like his old self, though there was always a hole in his heart when he thought of Takashi, but he kept moving forward, knowing that’s what Shiro would want him to do, no matter where he was. He focused on his classes, applied for the paid internship to Voltron Inc, and waited until he finally received a letter stating that he had been accepted into the program.

His parents had been hesitant to let him leave home but his uncles had offered an apartment in the building they managed and assured Krolia and Michael that Keith would be well looked after. After a month of sorting out the small details and ensuring that Keith would be allowed to bring Kosmo to work with him daily, his parents had finally relented, giving their permission and blessing for Keith to leave.

Keith arrived in Utah in September when the weather was still pleasant but as soon as October hit he felt the chill in the air. Thace and Antok had laughed at when he had shown up to dinner one evening bundled up in one of the parkas they had gotten him, stating that winter wouldn’t officially start until November. Keith had shuddered at the thought. How could it get colder than it already was?! Unfortunately, his uncles had been right. The first week of November brought a massive blizzard, burying the Salt Lake Valley in several inches of snow.

Once the snow had hit Keith had been extremely tempted to get himself a car but remembered that it was silly and a waste of money since he was a ten-minute walk from the grocery store and Voltron Inc. His uncles were kind enough to drive him to work in the mornings but he insisted on walking home, saying that it was good for him and Kosmo and kept them from going stir crazy. During their walks home, Keith would think about the day he had, brimming with excitement at the possibilities that they were making into realities.

Voltron Inc. worked as a “jack of all trades” company, working in multiple fields. From agriculture to electronics to medical, and everything else in between. Keith’s group, nicknamed “The Paladins”, was currently working on lifelike prosthetics for military veterans led by senior researcher Allura Altea. Although strict and focused, Allura allowed each member of the team to offer their input on the project and design. Thus Keith was locked in his little thought bubble, thinking of suggestions he could offer on Monday that he didn’t notice the snow-covered mound sticking out of the alley next to his apartment building, sending him stumbling headfirst into a large snowdrift.

He surfaced a second later, shaking the snow out of his hair. Kosmo woofed softly in confusion, wondering why his human wanted to play in the snow so suddenly. Keith just glared at him for a moment before grumbling “Not. a. Word.”, as if Kosmo was about to make fun of him. The shepherd’s only reply was to lick Keith’s face gently. Keith wiped his cheek, patting Kosmo on the head to let him know he was alright before turning to see what had tripped him.

Keith stood and walked over to the mound, nosing it with his shoe. He would deny for the rest of his life that he had shrieked and jumped back when the mound moved, curling in on itself. After taking a couple of calming breaths Keith knelt down and brushed off the snow to reveal a man covered in ragged clothing. His hair and beard, once white as the snow around them, was now matted and dirty. What skin was visible was almost as white as the snow covering him and beginning to tinge blue.

“P-please don’t hurt-t m-me sir…” the man whispered, trying to make himself as small as possible. He was shivering so hard that he could barely get the words out and it broke Keith’s heart. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Keith murmured, brushing off more snow. “I’m not going to hurt you. Can you stand?” he asked softly but the man shook his head, whimpering softly as he continued to beg Keith not to hurt him.

Keith watched the man for a moment before slipping off one of his coats and putting it over the man’s shoulders, noticing for the first time that he was missing his right arm. Keith looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds were getting thicker and the snow was coming down. He couldn’t leave the guy outside, he’d be dead before morning. Nodding to himself he faced the drifter once more, gently placing a hand on one of his shoulders to get his attention.

“It’s going to freeze tonight and I don’t feel comfortable with leaving you out here,” he said gently. Although he couldn’t see the man’s eyes it seemed like he was paying attention, at least a little bit. “I’d like to invite you to my apartment. Would you like to come inside and have something to eat, get warmed up?” The man was silent as if he hadn’t heard Keith. The two of them sat in the snow for a couple of minutes in silence, the only sound that could be heard was the increasing wind and Kosmo’s whining as the storm worsened.

Just as he was about to repeat his question Keith saw the man nod faintly, his shoulders falling in exhaustion. Keith nodded as he stood and brushed off some snow from his pants before he offered his hand to the stranger. The man stared at it for a second before taking it, trying to get to his feet but wincing at every attempt. Keith frowned slightly when he remembered that the man had told him he couldn't stand. He knelt down once more, keeping the man’s hand firmly in his own.

“I’m going to pick you up,” he asked. “Is that okay?” After a moment of hesitation, the man nodded again. With permission given Keith quickly slipped an arm under the man’s knees and back, lifting him out of the snow. Suddenly the man wriggled frantically, reaching for something leaning against the wall. “M-my bag… p-please…” he whispered brokenly as if he expected Keith to just leave it. Keith murmured soothingly to the man until he stopped squirming, then turned to where Kosmo stood. “Kosmo,” he said, causing the German shepherd to move stand next to him. “Grab the bag, please.” Kosmo barked quietly, gently scooping up the bag before trotting back to Keith.

With bag in hand (or dog mouth), the three made their way inside Keith’s apartment building before the brunt of the storm hit. Keith’s apartment was on the first floor so they quickly made their inside. Keith asked Kosmo to turn on the lights while he made his way over to the large sofa, setting the man down carefully. He pulled a wool blanket off one of the couch arms and wrapped his guest up. “I’m going to grab you some dry clothes, I’ll be back in just a minute,” Keith said as he moved towards his room only to be stopped by a bony hand weakly grabbing his wrist.

“Y-you d-don’t have t-to, sir…” the man said quietly, doing his best to keep his eyes down and posture submissive. Shaking his head slightly he placed his hand over the man’s, gently rubbing circles on the top of his hand. “It’s not a matter of having to,” he murmured kindly, giving the stranger a small smile. “It’s a matter of wanting to give you dry clothing because you’re probably freezing right now and I don’t want to see you get sick, okay?”

He waited until the man nodded before making his way to his room. Keith had plenty of clothing, hopefully, something would fit. He picked out a large t-shirt and sweatpants along with the warmest socks he had, setting them on his bed before went back to his family room to find the man petting Kosmo softly though he was shivering pretty badly. “I’ve got some things you can put on,” he said, causing the drifter to jump. The poor guy must not have heard Keith coming, curling in on himself as to protect himself from a physical attack. 

Keith walked around the couch and sat next to the drifter, rubbing the man’s shoulders as he apologized for scaring him. It took another moment for Keith to bring the man out of his panicked state, cupping the man’s face again to get his attention. Keith suddenly realized that he hadn’t introduced himself or asked for the stranger's name. “I forgot to ask what your name was,” he said, face flushing slightly with embarrassment. “Mine’s Keith, by the way. You’ve already met Kos…”

He stopped mid-sentence when he felt the man freeze under his touch, reaching up to squeeze Keith’s hand tightly. “K-K-Keith…?” the man asked, his voice breaking slightly. Keith nodded slowly, not wanting to scare the man again but unsure of what was going on. The man stayed still for a moment before reaching into his bag, rummaging through it before he pulled out a chain with a pair of dog tags attached. Between the two tags was a slightly worn gold ring.

Keith wasn't sure what he was looking at until he saw the ring. It felt as if his heart had stopped beating, his eyes never leaving the necklace as he reached for it with trembling fingers. The man let him take the necklace from his hand though Keith could tell he was shaking hard, and not just from the cold. Looking down, Keith saw the inscription engraved on the metal:

Shirogane  
Takashi  
1179875  
O Positive  
NO PREFERENCE

Inside of the ring was engraved ‘I will never give up on us.’ There was the distinctive sound of metal rattling against metal as Keith’s hands shook. Kosmo could sense his person’s anxiety rising and did his best to calm him down but Keith didn't seem to notice, his focus was solely on the man sitting in front of him. 

Setting the necklace down on the coffee table, Keith reached out tentatively to brush the man's long tangled hair back so he could see his eyes. Uncaring of the dirt and the grease, Keith finally revealed familiar storm grey eyes hidden behind once black locks of hair, now turned white from stress. Those eyes were tired and hollow, having seen the darkness that life had to offer but they still held the man that Keith had fallen in love with, a spark of hope igniting them.

Keith swallowed past the lump in his throat, trying to get air into his lungs. “Takashi…?” he whispered, as if afraid he would break some spell. Hearing his name, Shiro broke down, small hiccuping sobs escaping his throat. Tears streamed down leaving tracks through the dirt that covered his face, Shiro wanted to reach out, to hold Keith as he had in the past but dark thoughts crept into his head.

‘What if he doesn’t want me?’ a malicious little voice in the back of his mind whispered. ‘What if he got tired of waiting and moved on? What if he’s disgusted by what I’ve become? What if…’ Before the voices could overwhelm him like they had so many days and nights Shiro felt arms surrounding him in an embrace, despite the filth and stench coming off of him. He felt a wet spot forming on his shoulder, could hear Keith sobbing loudly, smelled Keith’s shampoo of citrus and cedarwood, tasted the salt coming from the tears on his own face, and could see Keith in front of him, holding him in a grip of iron.

With his remaining hand he reached and gripped the back of Keith’s shirt, pulling the younger man close as the floodgates opened. He cried with Keith, held the man who had gotten him through two years of losing his arm and torture, helped him survive, living on the streets of America for two years, abandoned and forgotten by the country he had once served. Shiro had truly thought that he would die tonight, cold, alone, and buried in the snow, but thanked whatever deity was out for bringing him back to Keith.

When Keith had tripped over his leg Shiro had been terrified. Ever since he had become homeless he had fought to survive, other homeless people beating him for whatever supplies he carried and Shiro had thought this time would be no different until he’d felt a kind hand on his shoulder, a gentle voice calming his panic, and warmth surrounding him as he was picked up and brought inside.

Now here he was, back in the arms of the one he loved, still wondering if this was a dream or some sick nightmare. Shiro coughed hard and shivered violently in Keith’s arms, a headache starting to form behind his eyes. Keith leaned back far enough to see that Shiro’s face was flushed and sweat was pouring off his brow. He brought a hand up to Shiro’s forehead, hissing in sympathy at the heat coming off of it.

“Crap, you’re really sick aren’t you?” Keith asked, wiping the tears from his and his boyfriend’s faces. Shiro whined when Keith moved back and gripped onto Keith's shirt, not wanting the warmth to leave him. Keith gently shushed him, gathering the former soldier into his arms again and carrying him to his bedroom. Once there he sat Shiro on the edge of the bed, making sure he could stay upright before snatching the large t-shirt and sweatpants he had pulled out.

Keith returned quickly, kneeling in front of Shiro. “I need to get you out of those clothes,” he murmured, placing a hand on Shiro’s knee. “Do you think you can do it on your own or do you want me to help?” Shiro’s eyes widened at the fear of Keith seeing what lay beneath his clothing, but he was also terrified at the thought of Keith leaving him alone, even for a moment. “C-can y-you stay, p-please?” he asked quietly, his voice breaking slightly.

Keith’s heart broke at the look of fear on his love’s face. “Of course, I'm not letting you out of my sight again.” he murmured, cupping Shiro’s face gently. “Do you want me to help?” he asked once more. Shiro was silent for a moment before nodding, tears leaking from his eyes once more as he nuzzled into the younger man's palm. Keith wiped his eyes, murmuring comforting words before he got to work removing the soaking clothes.

It took a few moments to get the soaked clothing off of Shiro. Keith was about to start to remove Shiro’s shirt when the man grabbed Keith’s wrist. Keith looked at Shiro, waiting patiently for him to speak. “I-I have a l-lot of s-scars…” he stammered out, his eyes downcast behind his long hair. “I’m n-not the s-same… p-please don’t ha-ate me…” Keith stopped any further self-deprecation with a soft kiss on Shiro’s cheek.

“I don’t care about your scars, Takashi.” Keith said firmly. “They told us that you had died. The thought of never seeing you again broke me, but you’re here and you’re alive and that is all that matters. As long as you’re here you could be covered in scales and have a fucking tail and I will STILL love you, aejeong.” Keith smiled softly, wiping more tears away from Shiro’s face while peppering butterfly kisses on the skin he could reach. He slipped off the soaked shirt, drying Shiro’s feverish skin with the towel he had left on his bed that morning before slipping on the dry one.

Keith would need to ask Hunk or his Uncle Antok to give him some healthy but calorie building recipes, the shirt was usually big on Keith but on Shiro’s skeletal frame it swallowed him whole. Next came the pants, Keith grabbing a pair of boxers when he noticed Shiro wasn’t wearing any. He turned away slightly to give Shiro his dignity, turning back to help pull on the pants and cinch them up.

Shiro was starting to sag with exhaustion, his eyes becoming heavy with sleep. Keith got him under the covers of his bed, making sure he was comfortable and warm before gathering up Shiro’s old clothes. “We’re getting you new clothing, warmer clothing, as soon as you’re feeling up to it, okay?” He asked, only receiving a soft hum. Promising to be back soon Keith threw the tattered clothing away before grabbing his phone to make a quick call to his Uncle Ulaz and Thace. He had never been more grateful to have family members that worked in the medical field than he was now.

When Ulaz answered Keith explained fighting back tears as he told them what had happened. Keith’s family, including his uncles, had been close with the Shiroganes and had taken Takashi under their wings when the boy’s parents had died and they had all been heartbroken when they learned Shiro was pronounced KIA. When Keith began explaining Shiro's condition, Ulaz cautioned his nephew not to move Shiro, that he and Thace would be there within the next hour to take a look at him.

Keith also asked them to contact Kolivan, Antok, and his parents to let them know, to which Thace replied in the background “That's a no brainer, kiddo. You mother would have our asses if we didn't tell her about Shiro!” Keith chuckled, knowing that his uncle was 100% not kidding. He ended the call, returning to the bedroom to find Kosmo cuddling with Shiro. Keith smiled as he watched Shiro pet the German shepherd, the look of absolute calm making him look ten years younger, even with the long hair and beard.

Making his way over to Shiro Keith sat next to him, brushing the older man's hair away from those storm grey eyes he had always loved staring into. Shiro made a contented noise as Keith petted him, doing his best to nuzzle into his hand.

“My uncles are going to swing by once their shift is done to give you a thorough checkup,” Keith murmured softly. Shiro looked up, his eyes brightening at the mention of Keith's family. “Ulaz and T-thace?” He asked quietly. Keith nodded, secretly relieved that Shiro remembered them. After that they remained silent, taking in the comfort of each other’s presence. Shiro shifted slightly, his eyebrows scrunching up slightly. 

“What’s up?” Keith asked.

Shiro shook his head slightly, not wanting to bother Keith with his stupid request. Well, Keith wasn’t having any of that. He gently gripped Shiro’s chin, urging the man to look up at him. “Shiro,” he said in a firm but kind voice. “You can ask me anything. I’m not going to say no.” Shiro thought about it for another moment before finally asking “C-can I t-take a shower, please? I-I feel g-gross w-with all th-this s-sweat and dirt o-on me.”

Keith nodded for a moment before suggesting “How about a bath? I don’t mind if you take a shower but I’m nervous that you won’t be able to hold yourself up, and I can help you get clean. Is that okay?” Shiro nodded, allowing Keith to carry him to the bathroom. Keith sat on the toilet with Shiro in his lap as he turned on the faucet, allowing steam to quickly fill the room. While the bath warmed up Keith assisted Shiro with taking off the borrowed clothing, stopping only at the boxers. “Do you want to keep these on?" the younger man asked, not wanting to overstep any boundaries that Shiro was uncomfortable with. After a moment Shiro nodded, keeping his head bowed as Keith lowered him into the tub.

Shiro hissed slightly as the warm water hit his fevered skin before he sunk down into the water reveling in the feeling of being warm for the first time in what felt like years. As the water filled the tub, Keith took stock of Shiro's overall condition for once his Uncles arrived. What skin Keith could see was covered in scars, some old and healed, others just beginning to mend. Bruises littered Shiro's arm and chest as if he had been beaten recently. What shocked Keith the most, however, was how thin Takashi was. Where muscle and sinew once was, now only skin and bones remained.

Keith would have growled if he didn't want to frighten Shiro. He'd have to ask the older man about the bruises at a later time and give the information to his Uncle Kolivan for further investigation. It paid to have family in law enforcement. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo and body wash, Keith went to work cleaning Shiro.

He had to refill the tub numerous times when the water turned brown with the muck and grime that had covered Shiro’s hair and skin but finally, the water remained clear, Shiro’s hair and beard glowing a snowy white. Keith grabbed a pair of dry boxers, standing outside the bathroom as Shiro changed back into his clothes. Once finished, Keith had Shiro sit on the toilet as he towel-dried his hair. "Do you want to cut your hair and shave your beard, or do you want to wait until tomorrow?" Keith asked quietly, allowing Shiro to make the choice once more. Shiro nodded slowly, quietly asking Keith for his help once more but not wanting to displace himself from where he was resting against Keith's stomach.

It took some maneuvering but Keith had Shiro sitting up as straight as he could on the toilet, taking an electric razor to the older man's beard. Once that was finished, Keith worked carefully on cutting and trimming Shiro's longer locks, trying to give him the haircut he had when they had first parted. With that done Keith brushed off the excess hair, his eyes tearing up again when he truly saw Shiro, albeit older and skinner but Shiro none the less.

"There you are," Keith said, bumping his forehead against Shiro's before kissing the scar across the bridge of his nose. Shiro couldn't help but smile a little, remembering those games of hide and seek they played so long ago, the phrase "There you are" and "You found me" becoming their own version of I love you. "Y-you found me," Shiro replied before resting his head on Keith's shoulder, exhaustion finally catching up to the battle-worn soldier.

Moving carefully, Keith picked Takashi up once more, placing him in bed before quickly throwing on pj's. He quietly asked Kosmo to turn off the lights as he crawled into bed next to Shiro, grabbing his phone and seeing a text message from Thace. 'Snowstorm is coming down hard, multiple accidents, ER is full. Will you two be alright till morning?' Keith quickly texted back that they'd be fine, Shiro was currently resting. He immediately got a thumb's up emoji, smiling at his uncle's reply.

Setting the phone aside Keith scooted closer to Shiro, wrapping his arms carefully around Takashi's thin frame. “I’ll be here when you wake, Takashi. I promise.” he murmured, nuzzling Shiro's hair until the older man's breathing evened out.

It was going to take months of doctor visits, therapy, filling meals, and receiving a new prosthetic from Keith’s company for Shiro to recover. He would have nightmares, panic and anxiety attacks, and flashbacks of his time in the Middle East during those months. He would also experience the joys of seeing his adopted family again, and getting a service dog of his own. And through it, all Keith would remain a constant through every good and bad moment, until the day their cherished promise rings became true wedding rings and for many decades after.

**Author's Note:**

> Aejeong - Korean for ‘love’.
> 
> Shiro’s got a temporary stutter because A. He’s freezing his butt off. And B. He’s been beaten up by other homeless people, not to mention the torture he had to endure, so that caused a slight speech impediment. But that will go away over time.
> 
> If you’re imagining that Shiro/Kuron looks like he did in Season 3, DON’T. He’s a lot more scraggly looking. Imagine Older Alfor’s haircut and beard on Shiro, then make that more scraggly. Also, Shiro’s body condition is BAD. He’s lost half or more of his body mass, enough that Keith can easily lift him up without an issue.
> 
> If you have any questions go ahead and leave a comment, I’ll get you as soon as I can.


End file.
